Marking two decades since Guitar Hero first launched in North America, giving players everywhere the tools to feel like a rock star. Not literally, though you'd be hard-pressed convincing anyone who's nailed Free Bird’s four-minute instrumental break before a packed crowd of friends.
Created by the developers, Guitar Hero gave players a guitar-shaped controller to follow on-screen cues moving along the screen synchronized to a song. Each riff corresponded to particular chords, producing the sensation of an authentic performance.
The studio previously tried its hand in the music genre prior to teaming up with the publisher, which was acquired by the gaming giant in 2006. Collaboratively, they laid the groundwork for a surprising billion-dollar series that had a significant influence for many musicians included, introducing decades-old bands to millions of gaming enthusiasts.
Michael Dornbrook, former COO from the developer, remembers the initial budgetary hurdles in securing the songs – despite the fact the first two games primarily featured cover versions.
“We rerecorded all the music since the dollar figure was so high,” he explains. “Despite having the publishing rights alone, it was extremely difficult. We couldn’t get acts such as legendary groups – the publisher had virtually no money, and our team was pretty convinced it would fail. But once Guitar Hero took off, album purchases airtime increased, all artists desired to participate.”
He continues: “Among the remarkable aspects was how many parents got in touch expressing gratitude for exposing their kids to the music they loved. It became a multigenerational phenomenon.”
Timeless Music Gains a New Audience
Irish blues-rock band the Answer included their track on the 2008 game the popular installment. Lead musician Paul Mahon recalls how the series revived older hits to the forefront: “Guitar Hero offered a bigger, new demographic. Typically such music was seen as music that was past it, however when it was included in the game and teenagers were finding it, abruptly it became trendy. This validated the genre, and got rid of the outdated label. It provided our catalog a new life.”
At that time, the band's debut album remained unreleased stateside, meaning the game served as a primary platform for exposure for the group as they went on US tour supporting AC/DC. “The roadies had on the song on the tour bus, and several recognized us thanks to the game,” he notes.
Rock’s Heavyweight Titles and Lasting Impact
Rock’s biggest acts quickly took advantage of the series’ popularity, with Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen featuring in dedicated game editions that focused on their music collections and related lore, visuals and legendary status. In the case of, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, reportedly earned the band greater revenue than any of their records. It moved well over half a million units upon release, while sales of Aerosmith’s music rose of up to 40% during an era as the industry was already collapsing.
Guitar Hero still motivates nimble-fingered fanaticism among its fans. Recently, an online personality completed a remarkable feat featuring the challenging track – an infamously tough power-metal song popularized through the game – on Clone Hero, a no-cost alternative with similar mechanics but an array of customisation options. This track is challenging enough on expert mode, not to mention performed at increased tempo while hitting every one of its near 4,000 notes. The streamer stated it took months of practice of practice.
“Guitar Hero is a fun, fantasy thing. Just as with Call of Duty, it doesn't imply you should use actual weapons and go to war,” notes DragonForce guitarist Herman Li.
DragonForce previously wrapped up a profitable run when Through the Fire and Flames was featured on Guitar Hero III, yet he explains it turned them into a household name. “I recall the record label calling to tell me that we were records were moving like crazy,” he says. “It exploded when we next toured, and we performed right ahead of top acts on the Mayhem festival.”
In fact, the band's visibility from Guitar Hero proved so vast that it risked overshadow all other the band has done. Last year, the track was used in a trailer for a major film. “In the past I felt differently, but I’ve made peace with it,” Li says. “If you only hear one DragonForce song, it’s totally cool – everyone’s got a unique path in music and I’m glad we’ve been part in fans' experiences”.
Enduring Legacy from the Plastic Guitar
The best promotion, whether it’s for automobiles, apparel or video games, goes further than selling something – it inspires a desire. Did Guitar Hero tap into that? “Precisely what our team trying to create,” he confirms. “That thrill of being a music icon on the stage. Since the beginning, the co-founders felt that humans have a natural human desire to make music, and they wanted to leverage innovation to enable everyone to do it”.
Most of Guitar Hero games came out over a mere five-year period from 2005 to 2010, featuring spin-offs such as the DJ version, including a spinning deck, and the band-focused game. Subsequently, corporate focus on peripherals waned, aside from a short-lived revival several years later.
Games such as Clone Hero and newer releases have kept the scene alive, with set to be something from the original publisher in development. Recently formed developers has entered production on their first rhythm-based title. Original co-founders are participating in advisory roles. Is the world prepared to welcome a new entry following the classic?
“Our team believed such titles might become like Madden allowing annual update every year,” he remarks. “With abundant fresh tracks that it could be evergreen, thus I remain optimistic. It's entirely possible for it to continue with new generations.”
